Nighttime Sacrifices
by Porsche101
Summary: When Private can't sleep from watching a scary movie, Skipper has to step in.


_Author's Note:_

_This is my first crack at a Private and Skipper story. It's not slash! Even though it seems like it, lol. R&R! _

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It was a cold Friday night in Central Park Zoo, which meant scary movie night for the penguins. It was sort of their tradition to have a movie night just between the four of them. No lemurs, no otters and no chimpanzees. Just the penguins alone.

Which meant yet another sleepless night for little Private.

As he stuck his head out of his green blanket, he looked around the dark room, clutching his teddy tight to him. He was starting to regret eating Rico's spicy Boom Boom Chili as his stomach twisted and turned.

Skipper had warned him that his digestive system couldn't handle it, which struck Kowalski into explaining the entire process of digesting a meal, much to Private's wooziness. They all knew that the little penguin had a weak stomach, but he didn't know it was weak when it came to spicy chili.

He moaned and hopped to the floor as his stomach gave another jolt. As soon as his feet hit the floor his blanket floated gently on top of him. He was just about to let out a scream for the bedspread had scared the wits out of him but he just simply pulled it off after realizing what it was.

He looked around once more at the HQ, noticing how creepy and different it looked at night. How on Earth could he sleep with those frightening shadows around him?

He just shook it off and made his way toward what he thought was the bathroom, trying to stay calm and keep his paranoia under control. He felt around for the cold metal handle. As soon as his flipper touched it, he swung open the heavy door and tiptoed stealthily inside to do his business.

He took one look around the HQ before walking back out into the middle of it slowly, willing his eyes to adjust to the darkness again. He silently cursed the bathroom light for being so bright for it always made it hard for his pupils to correct themselves to the appropriate size when it came to a dark room.

He took another step in the direction of the bunks but he saw something move in the shadows. He jumped back and eyed the spot where he saw the movement. "H-hello? Is anybody th-there?" When he didn't get an answer he started trembling. "Rico? Is that you hiding there? Y-you know I don't like games like these!"

He put his flippers on his hips and glared at the spot where he thought Rico was hiding, trying to act tough like Skipper. He took another step back, only to feel something squishy set itself between his three toes. He let out a scream in surprise and staggered back, falling onto his behind and making a clatter of what sounded like glass.

Then he realized that the soggy mess was just leftover chili in a glass pottery bowl. "Oh, this stuff _is_ coming back to haunt me!" Private began to shake his leg furiously, trying to kick the bowl off.

"At ease, Private… at ease," Skipper muttered as he grasped Private's flipper to help the little penguin up. "Stop with the ruckus! You don't want to wake the others do you?" He leant down and plucked the bowl off of his foot, revealing his now stained feathers.

Private sighed. "My apologies, Skipper. It's just that Rico's bloody horror movie and Boom Boom Chili is keeping me up." He stood and walked over to the kitchen area, no longer afraid now that he knew Skipper was up with him.

"I knew I should have covered your eyes when that axe went through…" He immediately clamped his beak shut at the sight of Private flinching, looking like he was about to throw up. "Oh, sorry about that, Private. You really have no reason to be afraid. None of that stuff is real in the movie." The older penguin smiled at him as he began cleaning himself up.

"I know it's just that… they make it seem so real. It's like it really could happen." He frowned as he looked down at the wet washcloth he was using to clean up the chili catastrophe.

"Ah, stupid horror flick film creators… or whatever their names are," Skipper hissed as he slapped a flipper on the counter.

Suddenly a clap of thunder echoed through the stone walls, the brightness of the lightning reaching down to the underwater windows through the water itself and lightning up most of the HQ.

Private screamed and catapulted at Skipper, tackling the leader to the ground.

Skipper grunted as he hit the floor with the weight of Private on top of him. _Well, Hoover Dam this kid scares easy! _He sighed as he felt Private trembling against his chest, ruffling his feathers with his beak.

"D-don't let me watch anymore scary movies, S-Skipper," Private managed to whisper against Skipper's white feathers, dreading the next round of thunder and lightning.

"It's okay… I won't." Skipper swallowed as he wrapped his flippers around the young penguin, trying his best to comfort him. He rolled his eyes as he heard the rain beginning to drum on the floe above their heads.

What a perfect night for a thunderstorm.

Skipper looked down at Private's form, realizing that he was about to go to sleep on him. "Come on, soldier! I am not going to sit here all night." Skipper nudged him gently, startling him, but showing that they had to go to their separate bunks for the remainder of the night.

"Yes, sir. I-I mean… no, sir. Uh, I-I mean…" Private stammered, confused over which salute was right.

"Ah, stop it before you hurt yourself! Now get on up there." Skipper groaned as Private pushed off of him to go back to his bunk. He lifted himself off of the stony ground and watched the young penguin scurry up the ladder.

He shook his head as he lowered himself back into the comforts of his own bunk, thankful that he could get some peace and quiet.

Private twisted his flippers nervously, feeling wide awake now that Skipper was no longer with him. He glanced around, his eyes wide as he tried to see what was lurking in the shadows.

He swallowed as he thought of Skipper two bunks below him. He pictured him grumbling and complaining in his mind about him being such a wuss when it came to a simple horror movie, a little thunder and lightning and the darkness of night.

He let out a slow, yet hushed whine of anxiousness, fearing that what he was imagining was true. He jumped as Skipper appeared at the side of his bunk, his face etched with annoyance and tiredness.

"I'm exhausted, Private… which means I do not want to listen to your whining all night." Skipper palmed his face at the look he was receiving from him. _Oh, what would the rest of the men think of me talking to Private this late at night?_

"I'm sorry Skipper. I just can't help but think…"

"Think what, exactly?" Skipper sighed and crossed his flippers across his chest.

"That you think of me as weak just because I'm a little afraid of a movie, a storm and the dark."

Skipper laughed. "_A little _afraid? Private, you're terrified. Just look at you! You're holding onto your teddy like it's your only lifeline, your trembling _and _you're whining." Guilt immediately filled Skipper as Private's head hung in shame, a blush creeping up under his feathers.

Skipper peered closer at the form inside the bunk and noticed a single tear reflecting off a small shard of light. "Oh… oh, no, Private… please don't cry." Skipper draped a flipper over his shoulders, letting Private lean into him. "Shhh… it'll be alright. It's just one night," Skipper cooed.

Private shuddered as a chill ran down his back. He wasn't used to Skipper's affection. "I-I know… Skipper? Do you think I could… possibly sleep with you tonight?" Private opened his eyes as he felt Skipper tense up and looked up at his leader, his big blue eyes resembling those of a puppy dog.

As he heard Private ask if he could sleep with him, surprise and nervousness filled him. Skipper's mind instantly went to the pros and the cons.

A pro would be that Private would get a good night sleep since he felt comfortable sleeping with Skipper… for some strange reason.

A con would be… it was just plain wrong! A leader sleeping with his Private? That is just… disturbing.

But he didn't want little Private to be tired tomorrow. He had a lot planned out on their schedule. And he most certainly didn't need to be kept up by Private's whining. Which meant… the pros outnumbered the cons.

He sighed as he felt Private shudder against yet another clap of thunder. "Oh… oh, alright… but just one night and one night only! We don't need the rest of the team and the zoo to get the wrong idea."

As soon as Skipper announced that, his mind instantly filled with Marlene. He secretly had a little 'crushy-crush' -at least, that's what King Julien calls it- but he could never admit it. So, the last thing he wanted her to think was that he was going gay.

He sighed as he settled into his bunk with Private at his side.

He gasped silently as he felt Private's flippers wrap around his torso.

"M'thanks, Skipper." Private smiled as he buried his face into the side of Skipper's neck.

Skipper felt a blush creeping up underneath his feathers at Private's nuzzle. He grinned and chuckled. "You're welcome, Private."

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_Author's Note:_

_Okay, everyone say it with me… awwww! Lemme know how I did! _


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